Hot air balloons return to WSU Pullman for nutrition-themed Cosmic Crisp® Day

PULLMAN, Wash. - The 80-foot Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon and its junior remote-controlled sibling will fly over Washington State University's Pullman campus for a morning celebration of healthy eating and activity, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024.

The Cosmic Crisp® Day event coincides with National Apple Day, a celebration of apple history and versatility. It is held in partnership with the women's tennis team, the WSU Athletics Performance Nutrition program, and the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS).

"This event celebrates one of the most popular apples in the world, created right here at WSU," said Lindsay Brown, associate athletics director for performance nutrition. "We're excited to showcase our student-athletes and share fan-favorite apples along with recipes and samples that we hope inspire others to fuel their day with good nutrition and healthy activity."

The day begins with a sunrise apple and coffee gathering with Butch T. Coug, 6:30-7:30 a.m. at WSU's Mooberry Track, with a balloon takeoff planned for 7-7:30 a.m.

Events continue at 9 a.m. at Hollingbery Fieldhouse, with a pickleball and tennis expo featuring the women's tennis team as well as Tyson McGuffin, former ranked tennis player turned professional pickleball star and Cosmic Crisp® ambassador.

The hot air balloon will return to Mooberry Track for a public sampling of apples and healthy recipes with the WSU Athletics Performance Nutrition program as well as a meet-and-greet with McGuffin from 10-11:30 a.m.

Visitors to campus will be able to check out the full-size balloon, which stands 85 feet tall from the bottom of its basket to the top of its speckled red envelope, as well as two other displays. A one-story-tall remote-controlled balloon will hover tethered at Terrell Mall, while a Cosmic Crisp® balloon-shaped inflatable display will help draw visitors to the Cougar Pride statue on Stadium Way.

"The Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon brings the inspiration to dream big and creates meaningful connections for thousands of people at festivals each year," said Kathryn Grandy, chief marketing officer for PVM, the marketing company for the apple variety. "We're thrilled to bring that same excitement to the Pullman campus."

The visit is part of an ongoing, industry-organized marketing effort for Cosmic Crisp®. Hauled by van, the craft follows balloon festivals around the country that coincide with favorable weather.

Now the number-seven bestselling apple in the U.S., Cosmic Crisp® is a juicy cross of Honeycrisp and Enterprise that was first bred at WSU's Wenatchee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center.

WSU owns the patent on the apple as well as the Cosmic Crisp® trademark. Part of the sale of each box supports scientific discovery at the university. WSU scientists continue to study best practices for the apple's horticulture, harvest, and storage.

"What started as an idea at WSU has grown to become one of the best-selling apples in the U.S.," Grandy said. "At the core of this brand is a tremendous amount of Cougar pride."

Learn more about the Cosmic Crisp® apple.

Event details:

- What: Cosmic Crisp® Day at WSU Pullman

- When: Monday, October 21, 2024, 6:30-11:30 a.m.

- Where: Mooberry Track and Hollingbery Fieldhouse, 1555 NE Colorado St., Pullman, WA; Terrell Mall; Cougar Pride Statue

Media Contacts

• Seth Truscott, College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences, 509-335-8164, [email protected]

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